


Colourblind

by Miasmajesty1



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: Dragon Who, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-28
Updated: 2015-05-28
Packaged: 2018-04-01 17:58:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4029322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miasmajesty1/pseuds/Miasmajesty1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eight and Charley visit a coffee shop.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Colourblind

**Author's Note:**

> This is an offshoot from my favourite AU, [Dragon Who.](http://laurelhach.tumblr.com/dragon_who) Essentially everything is the same only Gallifreyans naturally look like dragons. [This](http://laurelhach.tumblr.com/post/96882700822/for-some-reason-i-imagine-eight-laying-down-like) is how Eight looks.

They'd had a lovely day up until now. For once, there was no great conspiracy to chase down or an alien invasion to stop. Well, if they were here to stop an alien invasion they were far too late. This planet was as multi-cultural as it could get. The Doctor had gotten up to go order them both some tea. They'd walked down the markets of this planet; the Doctor had told her that there wasn't a human word he could use as a translation of it's name, it was approximately Shines-In-Many-Colours-Open-To-All. Charley thought it sounded like a dodgy backstreet shop, which the Doctor laughed before expressing his disapproval at her apparent snobbery. It'd certainly been colourful. They'd made their leisurely way through all kinds of stalls; Charley had picked a several new outfits and a very beautiful looking grappling whip. The Doctor had mostly looked, but he did buy a new blend of tea. They'd thrown their purchases in the TARDIS and gone back out. They'd wandered at a comfortable pace until the Doctor had pointed out a bustling coffee shop. Charley had noted that people still liked coffee, the Doctor had said it was coffee shop a in name only. There were no seats in this shop; it might have been a gimmick but considering all the different species, it could just be for practicality; there was only a very comfortable floor with tables spaced out evenly. Charley had ordered from the holographic menu- something that was purple and gold. She wasn't sure what it would taste like but she was excited to find out. Since this was a multicultural planet, the Doctor was in his natural form; a quadruped draconoid with forest green scales and a flowing brown mane. He wasn't wearing his wings; they were too bulky and awkward to be out in public when it was so busy. He wasn't the strangest species in here by far. Other creatures in the queue to order their drinks included something Charley could only describe as a blob of jelly; a vaguely humanoid octopus; a levitating fish; a very clunky looking robot missing an arm; and something that resembled a large bear- if bears had 6 legs and bright yellow fur.

Everything was going great. Charley closed her eyes, contended, then a shadow was cast over her. Her peace was interrupted when something grabbing her arm, jerking her back into the world. Blocking her view was a large creature, with spiked insectoid arms topped with long talons; it hurt where she was still being held; a mantis-like head; and a large crest that was currently flushed a bright red.  
"Can I help you?" Charley asked, trying to rein in her instinct to tear the alien's hand away by force.  
"You are human," it stated, titling it's head from right to left. "Earth is a very interesting planet," it added, blinking it's compound eyes.  
"It is. If you want to talk let go of me first," Charley hissed. The alien pulled back in surprise, glancing at where it was still holding Charley's arm.  
"I apologise," it said, crest flushing to blue as it stood up. Charley crossed her arms and frowned. The creature shifted on it's feet.  
"You want to know about Earth?" Charley supplied, trying to relieve the tension. It was hard to describe a large humanoid mantis as lighting up with excitement, but clasped it's talons together and blinked quickly, leaning forward on it's bony legs.  
"Yes!" it said, static-y and layered voice rising in pitch. Charley raised her eyebrows.  
"Anything in particular?" Charley asked, leaning back on her hands to look at the creature properly.  
"Your environment, it is diverse," the alien said.  
"I suppose it is, yes," Charley answered. "Where I live; used to live," she corrected, "we had a garden that went on for miles, tracks of land stretching into the distance with all kinds of flowers," she said, looking off to the left. "Wait, I don't know your name," she said, turning back to the mantis creature.  
"Perokite of the 8th System," it replied.  
"I'm Charley. It's nice to meet you," Charley said, holding out her hand. Perokite stared at it.  
"Oh, right," Charley said to herself, rubbing the back of her head with her other hand, "It's an earth greeting. You're supposed to shake hands," she explained. Perokite looked at her and thrust it's taloned hand forward. Charley did her best to intimate a handshake.  
"Earth custom," Perokite said to itself, staring at it's hands. Charley chuckled and nodded.  
"That's right," she said, smiling gently.

The Doctor wasn't an impatient man. He didn't like waiting, but did anyone like waiting? He was nearly at the front of the queue now, so soon the waiting would be over. Whoever was in front of him- and it some kind of gas based multiform- was taking their time. The Doctor glanced back at the table where he'd left Charley and narrowed his eyes when he found she wasn't alone. There was an insectoid stood talking to her; some kind of mantis creature. He couldn't tell which order of species from here. He hoped that it wasn't harassing her. Charley knew how to handle herself, he knew that, but it was still uncourteous to leave her by herself. He cursed himself, and this queue for taking so long.  
"Next please," the cashier called out. The Doctor gave their orders; one Royal Prince of Tyanaw and one mint and grapefruit tea. He tapped his foot, casting another glance over the crowd. Most were too involved in their own personal affairs to actually take in everyone around them, but a few did. A few of those were staring at him. Some were discreet, others less so. The Doctor didn't mind too much. Draconoids were a rare sight. Trakenites still existed in the edges of space where they were not overwhelmed by the evil of the world, busy rebuilding what they once had in abundance (he felt a pang of guilt, dark and engulfing, but now was not the time for that), as did Lakertyans (they'd abandoned their home planet, it was poisoned by what the Rani had done to so many), and obviously Time Lords still existed, but in small number, and knowledge of the race as a whole was limited only to those deemed worthy of it.  
"Your order is ready, esteemed guest," the cashier said monotonously. Their drinks had been put in a plastic carry case. The Doctor wasn't sure how useful that would be to any kind of gas-form or anything lacking arms, but he expressed his thanks and grabbed the drinks, making his way back to Charley.

He returned to the table to find that, to his utmost annoyance, the uninvited guest was still there. He cleared his throat.  
"Excuse me," the Doctor said brusquely, standing at his full height.  
"Sorry," it mumbled, stepping out of the Doctor's way. The Doctor dropped the drinks on the small table in front of them and worked his way around to Charley and plopped himself down next to her.  
"Perokite here was asking me about Earth," Charley said cheerfully.  
"Was he now," the Doctor muttered, reaching for his drink. Charley glanced at him.  
"I was saying that Earth has a lot of different cultures," she continued, "Depending on where you are, but it tends to lead to a lot of intolerance, and I was saying how glad I am that it doesn't hold true here," Charley explained, looking at the Doctor for support.  
"Of course," he said without looking up. Perokite clasped it's hands together.  
"We have begun to diversify our culture," it said. "We have enjoyed meeting new species," it added, gesturing at Charley. She smiled in response.  
"Say, Perokite, correct me if I'm wrong but didn't your species used to eat other humanoid species?" the Doctor said, finally looking up from his drink. Perokite recoiled slightly.  
"Specifically sentient humanoids?" the Doctor added as he lent forward. His tail curled around Charley; she felt the tuft of fur tickle her back.  
"I'm sure you do that anymore," Charley supplied mildly, shifting where she sat.  
"No," Perokite said, nodding earnestly. "We are-"  
"At your base, still nothing more than predators," the Doctor interrupted, sipping his tea. Charley noticed he'd shifted closer to her. They were shoulder to shoulder now.  
"That is untrue," Perokite said, voice grating as it spoke. "We came here merely to-"  
"Ask about Earth, yes, fine," the Doctor said dismissively, "But you're making my friend here uncomfortable," he said, voice low.  
"You're really not," Charley reassured.  
"Of course she'd say that. Humans, ever so polite. My kind, not so much. If you could leave I'd be most grateful," the Doctor said, voice tight.  
Charley only gaped as Perokite excused himself and scuttled away.  
"You made him leave!" Charley accused. The Doctor snorted indignantly, ears flicking forward. "That was awfully mean of you," she said with a frown. The Doctor looked at her, hurt. "Oh don't look at me like that! You were being horrible," she insisted. Her resolve wavered slightly, and wavered more when the Doctor lent back and put his head on her shoulder. She huffed and grabbed her drink. The Doctor's tail was now all but wrapped around her waist. It was oddly comforting, if a little strange. "You're all over me you know," Charley pointed out. The Doctor said nothing. Then it hit her. Charley gasped, hand flying to cover her mouth. The Doctor moved from her shoulder and shifted around to sit beside her again; eyes narrowed and ears back.  
"What?" he asked.  
"You're jealous!" she declared, suppressing the urge to laugh.  
"I am not!" the Doctor all but squeaked. Charley gasped again, not managing to suppress the next round of hysterical giggles.  
"You completely are! Don't worry, you're still my favourite alien," she remarked, arm curling around the Doctor. He gave her a withering look.  
"Don't belittle me Charley," he snapped.  
"What? No! I'm just confused," Charley said. The Doctor turned away from her. "Oh come on," she complained; moving her arm away from around him and with both hands, grabbed him. Cupping her hands under his jaw on both sides, she forced him to look her in the eye.  
"We're causing a scene," he said, unsuccessfully trying to move. He refused to meet her eyes, looking up at the ceiling instead.  
"That doesn't normally matter to you," Charley said.  
"We're not normally in a coffee shop," he objected. Charley pouted.  
"Admit it, you're jealous," she crooned.  
"I am not," the Doctor said haughtily. "I don't get jealous," he added for good measure. Charley laughed. "I wasn't joking," the Doctor grumbled.  
"I know you weren't," Charley said good-naturedly. "But you have to admit it or I'm not letting go of you," she added with a grin.  
"Charley," the Doctor drawled in complaint. Charley hushed him. "I can't drink my tea if you're holding me captive like this," he added.  
"I know. It's a tragedy. Your tea's getting cold in fact," she said, nodding towards where their drinks were still placed on the table. The Doctor whined.  
"Fine. I wasn't jealous per say," he said, looking at Charley now, "but I was.. feeling perhaps slightly protective in the face of a giant mantis whose species have been known to eat humans alive," he concluded. "Now let go of me so I can drink my tea," he added hurriedly.  
"Oh no, no you don't. You haven't admitted it yet," she smirked. The Doctor's ears fell even further back. Charley refused to budge, so they sat in silence for a good few minutes.  
"I was jealous that everyone else gets to talk to you and then I'm left out," the Doctor admitted as fast as he could spit the words out. Charley let out, eyes wide.  
"I live with you! We're always together," she said, bemused.  
"Yes, I know, it doesn't make sense," the Doctor said, head ducked in shame as he grabbed his tea and gulped it down.  
"You want me to not talk to other people? Aliens? Anyone?" Charley asked, beginning to look peeved.  
"No, not at all," the Doctor said. He put his drink back down and handed Charley her's. She looked at it with narrowed eyes and then at him, before taking it. "It's great how well you get on with everyone, and no I don't want you to stop doing that, it's just that you.." he trailed off, unsuccessfully searching for the right word. Charley caught on regardless. She finished off her drink.  
"You think I'm going to get bored of you? You complete and utter buffoon," Charley laughed. The Doctor tried not to look hurt. She shifted round to face him again. "I'm not. Surely you know that," she said, bopping him across the nose. He sniffed indignantly.  
"We're fine now, aren't we?" Charley asked.  
"Of course we are," the Doctor agreed. Charley looked around the room; as she'd suspected everyone was far too engrossed in their own conversations to notice anything or anyone else.   
"Psst," she whispered. The Doctor's ears flicked forward.  
"What? Why are we whispering?" he whispered back.  
"Just come here," she said. The Doctor shuffled forward.  
"So now we're having a private conversation?" he whispered in amusement. Charley shushed him and leaned forward, planting a kiss on his snout. He blinked quickly in surprise, before leaning forward and head butting Charley in the shoulder. She snorted but tried her best to hug the Doctor back. Both contented, the Doctor untangled himself and stood up, offering a clawed hand out to help Charley up. She took it and they left together.

The Doctor dashed back in seconds later, leaving money on their table with a guilty expression before dashing back out again. They walked back through the shining markets bustling with life and vibrancy. Charley kept one hand in the Doctor's mane; not entangled but more because she wasn't sure where they were going. It took her a while to realise the Doctor had no idea where they were going either.  
"I know I parked the TARDIS somewhere around here," he muttered, surveying the surroundings.  
"Excuse me! There! How do you want these!" a voice called. Charley turned around and face thin air. "Here!" the voice said. Charley looked down. Standing at 3 feet was what Charley later tried to reason was a dog; a dog with feathery wings and tails that had knots tied in them, decorated in gold. In it's mouth the alien held out two pieces of tied pieces of rope. Charley opened her mouth to politely decline but was interrupted. "They're free, I had a feeling I should give them to you so you can have them," it said, tails wagged, smacking into each other with a pattering sound.  
"Well, thank you," Charley said, taking the rope. "What.. are they?" she asked, turning the rope over. Rope wasn't the best description up close- they were small bracelets, inlaid with glittering jewels. Charley thought they looked too expensive to be given away for free.  
"You give them to someone, you keep one and give the other to them, then you will never lose each other," it explained. Charley looked back at the Doctor, who continued to search their surroundings in vain.  
"Thank you," she said earnestly. The dog alien turned and ran back towards the markets. Charley saw something out of the corner of her eye; a flash of bright blue. There, next to a shop made of bright orange wood and arching windows made of stained glass, was the TARDIS. She looked at the Doctor and walked up to him. She knelt down- he was still distracted- and grabbed one of his forelegs, sliding the shining bracelet on and tying a knot to keep it there. The Doctor had noticed now, and watched as she tightened the knot and satisfied, stood back up. She slid her own on, tightening the knot with her teeth.  
"Friendship bracelets?" the Doctor asked.  
"Not-getting-lost bracelets," Charley corrected.  
"I see," the Doctor said with a smile. Charley pointed at the TARDIS. "Oh," the Doctor said. "Well, ready to go?" he asked, shaking the leg with the bracelet on. It twinkled in the sunlight.  
"After you," Charley said with a wink. The Doctor led the way back to the TARDIS. Charley studied her own bracelet as she walked. It shone all colours; purple and blue, red and yellow, pink and green. The rope itself was pleasant to touch and didn't itch. It looked like it would last for a long time. Charley hoped it would. A testament to the two of them, she thought.  
"Maybe I should write your name and your personal details on yours so you don't forgot them!" she yelled at the Doctor. She heard him sigh as he unlocked the TARDIS door.  
"Come on, let's go," he called over his shoulder. Charley looked at the bracelet one more time, then at the sun- still high in the sky, still far from over, and then at the TARDIS. She smiled to herself and followed the Doctor into the TARDIS, safe in the knowledge that they too were far from over.


End file.
